Basic Mathematics

Introduction to Complex Numbers

Martin Lavelle The aim of this package is to provide a short study and self assessment programme for students who wish to become more familiar with complex numbers.

Copyright c 2001 mlavelle@plymouth.ac.uk Last Revision Date: June 11, 2004

Version 1.1

Table of Contents
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. The Square Root of Minus One! Real, Imaginary and Complex Numbers Adding and Subtracting Complex Numbers Multiplying Complex Numbers Complex Conjugation Dividing Complex Numbers Quiz on Complex Numbers Solutions to Exercises Solutions to Quizzes

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Section 1: The Square Root of Minus One!

1. The Square Root of Minus One!

If we want to calculate the square root of a negative number, it rapidly becomes clear that neither a positive or a negative number can do it. E.g., 1 = 1, since 12 = (1)2 = +1 . To nd 1 we introduce a new quantity, i, dened to be such that i2 = 1. (Note that engineers often use the notation j .) Example 1 (a) 25 = 5i Since (5i)2 = 52 i2 = 25 (1) = 25 .

Section 2: Real, Imaginary and Complex Numbers

(b)

16 9

4 Since ( i)2 3

4 i 3 16 = (i2 ) 9 16 = . 9 =

2. Real, Imaginary and Complex Numbers

Real numbers are the usual positive and negative numbers. If we multiply a real number by i, we call the result an imaginary number. Examples of imaginary numbers are: i, 3i and i/2. If we add or subtract a real number and an imaginary number, the result is a complex number. We write a complex number as z = a + ib where a and b are real numbers.

Section 3: Adding and Subtracting Complex Numbers

3. Adding and Subtracting Complex Numbers

If we want to add or subtract two complex numbers, z1 = a + ib and z2 = c + id, the rule is to add the real and imaginary parts separately: z1 + z2 z1 z2 Example 2 (a) (1 + i) + (3 + i) = = 1 + 3 + i(1 + 1) = 4 + 2i 2 + 5i 1 + 4i = 1 + 9i = a + ib + c + id = a + c + i(b + d) = a + ib c id = a c + i(b d)

(b) (2 + 5i) (1 4i)

Exercise 1. Add or subtract the following complex numbers. (Click on the green letters for the solutions.) (a) (3 + 2i) + (3 + i) (b) (4 2i) (3 2i) 1 (c) (1 + 3i) + 1 (2 + 2 i ) (d) 1 2 3 (2 5i) 6 (8 2i)

Section 3: Adding and Subtracting Complex Numbers

Quiz To which of the following does the expression (4 3i) + (2 + 5i) simplify? (a) 6 8i (c) 1 + 7i (b) 6 + 2i (d) 9 i

Quiz To which of the following does the expression (3 i) (2 6i) simplify? (a) 3 9i (c) 1 5i (b) 2 + 4i (d) 1 + 5i

Section 4: Multiplying Complex Numbers

4. Multiplying Complex Numbers

We multiply two complex numbers just as we would multiply expressions of the form (x + y ) together (see the package on Brackets) (a + ib)(c + id) = ac + a(id) + (ib)c + (ib)(id) = ac + iad + ibc bd = ac bd + i(ad + bc)

Example 3 (2 + 3i)(3 + 2i) = 2 3 + 2 2i + 3i 3 + 3i 2i = 6 + 4i + 9i 6 = 13i

Section 4: Multiplying Complex Numbers

Exercise 2. Multiply the following complex numbers. (Click on the green letters for the solutions.) (a) (3 + 2i)(3 + i) (b) (4 2i)(3 2i) (c) (1 + 3i)(2 + 2i) (d) (2 5i)(8 3i)

Quiz To which of the following does the expression (2 i)(3 + 4i) simplify? (a) 5 + 4i (c) 10 + 5i (b) 6 + 11i (d) 6 + i

Section 5: Complex Conjugation

5. Complex Conjugation
For any complex number, z = a + ib, we dene the complex conjugate to be: z = a ib. It is very useful since the following are real: = a + ib + (a ib) = 2a = (a + ib)(a ib) = a2 + iab iab a2 (ib)2 = a2 + b2 The modulus of a complex number is dened as: |z | = zz Exercise 3. Combine the following complex numbers and their conjugates. (Click on the green letters for the solutions.) (a) If z = (3 + 2i), nd z + z (b) If z = (3 2i), nd zz (c) If z = (1 + 3i), nd zz (d) If z = (4 3i), nd |z | Quiz Which of the following is the modulus of 4 2i? (a) 20 (b) 2 (c) 20 (d) 12 z + z zz

Section 6: Dividing Complex Numbers

10

6. Dividing Complex Numbers

The trick for dividing two complex numbers is to multiply top and bottom by the complex conjugate of the denominator: z1 z1 z1 z z1 z2 = = 2 = z2 z2 z2 z2 z2 z 2
The denominator, z2 z2 , is now a real number.

Example 4 1 i 1 i i i i = i (i) i = 1 = i =

Section 6: Dividing Complex Numbers

11

Example 5 (2 + 3i) (1 + 2i) = = = = (2 + 3i) (1 2i) (1 + 2i) (1 2i) (2 + 3i)(1 2i) 1+4 1 (2 + 3i)(1 2i) 5 1 1 (2 4i + 3i + 6) = (8 i) 5 5

Exercise 4. Perform the following divisions: (Click on the green letters for the solutions.) (2 + 4i) (2 + 6i) (a) (b) i (1 + 2i) (1 + 3i) (3 + 2i) (c) (d) (2 + i) (3 + i)

Section 6: Dividing Complex Numbers

12

Quiz To which of the following does the expression 8i 2+i simplify? (a) 3 2i (c) 4 1 2i (b) 2 + 3i (d) 4

Quiz To which of the following does the expression 2 + i 2+i simplify? (a) 1 1 (c) 1 + i 2 (b) (d)
1 5 1 5

(5 + 7i) (3 + 4i)

Section 7: Quiz on Complex Numbers

13

7. Quiz on Complex Numbers

Begin Quiz In each of the following, simplify the expression and choose the solution from the options given. 1. (a) 3 i (c) 1 + 7i 2. (a) 6 8i (c) 3 + 3i 3. (a) 13 (c) 119 4. (a) 7 5 + 17i (c) 2 + 2i End Quiz Score: (3 + 4i) (2 3i) (b) 5 + 7i (d) 1 i (3 + 3i)(2 3i) (b) 6 + 8i (d) 15 3i |12 5i| (b) 7 (d) 12.5

(7 17i)/(5 i) (b) 3 + i (d) 2 3i

Correct

Solutions to Exercises

14

Solutions to Exercises
Exercise 1(a) (3 + 2i) + (3 + i) = 3 + 2i + 3 + i = 3 + 3 + 2i + 2i = 6 + 3i

Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

15

Exercise 1(b) Here we need to be careful with the signs! 4 2i (3 2i) = 4 2i 3 + 2 i = 4 3 2i + 2i = 1

A purely real result Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

16

Exercise 1(c) The factor of 1 2 multiplies both terms in the complex number. 1 1 + 3i + (2 + 2i) = 1 + 3i + 1 + i 2 = 4i A purely imaginary result. Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

17

2 5 8 i + 3 3 6 2 5 4 = i + 3 3 3 2 4 5 = i+ 3 3 3 2 4 = i 3 3 which we could also write as 2 (1 + 2 i ). 3 Click on the green square to return =

Exercise 1(d) 1 1 (2 5i) (8 2i) 3 6

2 i 6 1 i 3 1 i 3

Solutions to Exercises

18

Exercise 2(a) (3 + 2i)(3 + i) = 3 3 + 3 i + 2i 3 + 2i i = 9 + 3i + 6i 2 = 9 2 + 3i + 6i = 7 + 9i

Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

19

Exercise 2(b) (4 2i)(3 2i) = 4 3 + 4 (2i) 2i 3 2i 2i = 12 8i 6i 4 = 12 4 8i 6i = 8 14i

Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

20

Exercise 2(c) (1 + 3i)(2 + 2i) = = = = 1 2 1 2i + 3i 2 + 3i 2i 2 2i + 6i 6 2 6 2i + 6i 8 + 4i

Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

21

Exercise 2(d) (2 5i)(8 3i) = 2 8 + 2 (3i) 5i 8 5i (3i) = 16 6i 40i 15 = 16 15 6i 40i = 1 46i

Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

22

Exercise 3(a) (3 + 2i) + (3 + 2i) = = = = (3 + 2i) + (3 2i) 3 + 2i + 3 2i 3 + 3 + 2i 2i 6

Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

23

Exercise 3(b) (3 2i)(3 2i) = (3 2i)(3 + 2i) = 9 + 6i 6i 2i (2i) = 9 4i2 = 9 + 4 = 13

Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

24

Exercise 3(c) (1 + 3i)(1 + 3i) = (1 + 3i)(1 3i) = (1) (1) + (1)(3i) + 3i(1) + 3i(3i) = 1 + 3i 3i 9i2 = 1 + 9 = 10

Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

25

Exercise 3(d) (4 3i)(4 + 3i) = 42 + 4 3i 3i 4 3i 3i

= 16 + 12i 12i 9i2 = 16 + 9 25 = 5 = Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

26

Exercise 4(a) (2 + 4i) i = = = = = (2 + 4i) i i i (2 + 4i) (i) +1 (2 + 4i)(i) 2i 4i2 4 2i

Click on the green square to return

Solutions to Exercises

27

Exercise 4(b) (2 + 6i) (1 2i) (1 + 2i) (1 2i) (2 + 6i)(1 2i) = 1+4 1 = (2 + 6i)(1 2i) 5 1 = (2 + 4i + 6i 12i2 ) 5 1 = (2 + 10i + 12) 5 1 = (10 + 10i) = 2 + 2i 5 Click on the green square to return = (2 + 6i) (1 + 2i)

Solutions to Exercises

28

Exercise 4(c) (1 + 3i) (2 i) (2 + i) (2 i) (1 + 3i)(2 i) = 4+1 1 = (2 i + 6i 3i2 ) 5 1 = (2 + 3 + 5i) 5 1 = (5 + 5i) = 1 + i 5 Click on the green square to return (1 + 3i) (2 + i) =

Solutions to Exercises

29

Exercise 4(d) (3 + 2i) (3 i) (3 + i) (3 i) (3 + 2i)(3 i) = 9+1 1 = (3 + 2i)(3 i) 10 1 = (9 3i + 6i 2i2 ) 10 1 = (9 + 2 + 3i) 10 1 = (11 + 3i) 10 Click on the green square to return (3 + 2i) (3 + i) =

Solutions to Quizzes

30

Solutions to Quizzes
Solution to Quiz:

(4 3i) + (2 + 5i)

= 4 3i + 2 + 5i = 4 + 2 3i + 5i = 6 + 2i End Quiz

Solutions to Quizzes

31

Solution to Quiz:

Be careful with the signs! (3 i) (2 6i) = 3 i 2 + 6i = 3 2 i + 6i = 1 + 5i End Quiz

Solutions to Quizzes

32

Solution to Quiz:

(2 i)(3 + 4i)

= 2 3 + 2 (4i) i 3 i (4i) = 6 + 8i 3i 4i2 = 6 + 5i + 4 = 10 + 5i End Quiz

Solutions to Quizzes

33

Solution to Quiz:

|4 2i| =

(4 2i)(4 + 2i)

= 42 + 22 = 16 + 4 = 20 End Quiz

Solutions to Quizzes

34

Solution to Quiz:

8i 2+i

= = = = =

8i 2i 2+i 2i (8 i)(2 i) 22 + 12 (8 2 + 8 (i) i 2 i (i)) 5 1 (16 8i 2i 1) 5 1 (15 10i) = 3 2i 5 End Quiz

Solutions to Quizzes

35

Solution to Quiz:

2 + i 2+i

= = = = =

2 + i 2 i 2+i 2i (2 + i)(2 i) 22 + 12 1 (2 2 2 (i) + i 2 + i (i)) 5 1 (4 + 2i + 2i + 1) 5 1 (3 + 4i) 5 End Quiz